As a senior advisor to Russian President Putin, Illarionov was outspoken against Russia's ratification of Kyoto. Despite Illarionov's vocal opposition, Putin ratified the Kyoto Protocol in 2004. In October 2006, Illarionov was appointed senior researcher of the Center for Global Liberty and Prosperity of the US libertarian think tank Cato Institute in Washington, DC.

He has been a long-time promotor of the free market.
Illarionov received his Ph.D. from St. Petersburg University in 1987. From 1993 to 1994 Illarionov served as chief economic adviser to the prime minister of the Russian Federation, Viktor Chernomyrdin. He resigned in February 1994 to protest changes in the government's economic policy. In July 1994 Illarionov founded the Institute of Economic Analysis and became its director. (Cato bio: http://www.cato.org/people/illarionov.html )

llarionov was born on September 16, 1961 in Leningrad (now Saint Petersburg). At seventeen he started working at a communications office (telephone and postal services) in the town of Sestroretsk. He then went on to study economics at the Leningrad State University, graduating in 1983, and receiving a Ph.D. in economics in 1987.

KEY DEEDS

30 January, 2004Kyoto costs too much and could not be ratified, Illarionov gives briefing at press briefing at the National Press Club in Washington, sponsored by the International Council for Capital Formation.Source: ICCF

29 September, 2003Gave presentation at World Climate Conference, Moscow, where he questioned the influence of human interference on climate change. Used slides provided by the International Council for Capital Formation. Source: Environmental delegates